Quote from Alex bobby on April 5, 2024, 12:46 PM

"Rakhine State Crisis Deepens as Opposition Forces Strike Against Junta"

An alliance of factions opposing Myanmar’s military junta reported on Thursday that two military installations in the capital, Naypyitaw, had been targeted in a drone attack.

The National Unity Government (NUG) released a statement claiming that the People's Defense Force deployed drones to strike targets, including a military headquarters and an airbase, situated in one of the nation's most heavily fortified areas.

According to The Associated Press, the ruling junta stated that approximately a dozen drones were either destroyed or confiscated, with no reported casualties. However, the NUG asserted there were accounts of casualties resulting from the attack.

While many specifics of the incident on Thursday remain unverified independently, residents near the strike zone informed the AP that they were unaware of any such attack. Government-released images depicted only downed drones.

The People's Defense Force functions as the armed branch of the civilian-led NUG, which regards itself as the legitimate authority in the country. Conversely, the junta has been engaged in quelling uprisings and stabilizing the economy.

Myanmar has been engulfed in turmoil since the military seized power from the democratically elected civilian government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi, in February 2021. The coup initiated peaceful protests nationwide, which were met with forceful responses from security forces, escalating into more violent confrontations.

Rakhine State Conflict

At the U.N. Security Council, diplomats received briefings on Thursday regarding the escalation of violence in Rakhine State between the military and the Arakan Army, a formidable ethnic armed group based in Rakhine, since an informal cease-fire disintegrated in November.

U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Khaled Khiari disclosed that the Arakan Army purportedly seized control of most of central Rakhine and aims to expand into northern Rakhine, where numerous Rohingya reside.

As a consequence, minority Rohingya Muslims are fleeing the region, often undertaking perilous, sometimes fatal, sea voyages across the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal.

Over 700,000 Rohingya sought refuge in neighboring Bangladesh in August 2017 following a military crackdown in response to attacks by Rohingya insurgents that resulted in the deaths of several police officers. A 2018 U.N. fact-finding mission estimated that at least 10,000 Rohingya were killed during the offensive.

The humanitarian situation in Myanmar has further deteriorated, with over 2.8 million people displaced, 90% of them following the military coup in 2021. Lisa Doughten, a U.N. humanitarian official, informed the council that hunger is escalating across the country due to surging food prices and disrupted market access.

Doughten emphasized the imperative need for aid workers to have secure and unrestricted access, highlighting that over 155 humanitarian workers were arrested or detained by various factions from January 2022 to February of the current year.

Several council members expressed apprehension regarding the recent enactment of a national conscription law by the military authorities, which mandates men aged 18 to 45 and women aged 18 to 35 to serve a two-year term in the army.

South Korean Ambassador Joonkook Hwang voiced concerns, stating that youths are faced with the choice of fleeing or participating in violence.

U.S. envoy Robert Wood underscored Myanmar's emergence as a hub for transnational organized crime, the largest opium producer globally, and a catalyst for numerous refugee crises. He also noted that the military has conducted nearly 600 airstrikes across the country since the cease-fire collapsed in November.

Wood urged the council to curtail the military's access to jet fuel to diminish its capacity for conducting airstrikes.

China’s deputy ambassador, Geng Shuang, disclosed that a delegation from Beijing is presently engaged in mediation efforts concerning the situation in Rakhine.

In June 2023, the U.N. secretary-general’s special envoy for Myanmar resigned. Khiari announced that Antonio Guterres would appoint a new envoy "in the coming days."

Contributions to this report were made by Tommy Walker, Claire Schnatterbeck, and U.N. Correspondent Margaret Besheer. Additional information was sourced from Agence France-Presse, The Associated Press, and Reuters.

In conclusion, Myanmar continues to grapple with deep-rooted internal conflicts and political instability following the military coup in February 2021. The recent drone attack on military installations in Naypyitaw underscores the ongoing resistance against the ruling junta by various opposition groups, including the National Unity Government and the People's Defense Force.

The situation in Rakhine State has also escalated, with clashes between the military and the Arakan Army leading to further displacement and humanitarian crises. The plight of Rohingya Muslims remains a grave concern, with reports of violence and mass displacement continuing to emerge.

The international community, represented by the U.N. Security Council, has been briefed on these developments and urged to take action to address the crisis in Myanmar. However, finding a resolution remains challenging, with complex political dynamics and competing interests at play.

As efforts for mediation and humanitarian assistance continue, the appointment of a new U.N. special envoy for Myanmar signals ongoing diplomatic engagement. Nevertheless, the road to stability and peace in Myanmar remains uncertain, with the plight of its people hanging in the balance.